• Consumers reactions to the 2006 health insurance reforms
• New government healthcare plans

Consumers reactions to the 2006 health insurance reforms

In 2006 the consumer care office De Nederlandse Patiënten Consumenten Federatie (NPCF) - The Dutch Patients and consumers Federation - received around 3500 complaints.

The office, which was set up to register problems in the healthcare system, registered more than 1500 complaints concerning financial issues, mainly about insurers not paying bills on time, and giving permission for refunds for particular types of health care.

Permissions not clear

The NPCF has placed insurance companies permissions policies "high on the agenda" of things to fix. The federation wants Insurers to adjust their policies to give patients clear information.

There were also complaints about how expensive the new health system had become, with high hospital bills and non return of the "no claims" bonus for chronically sick patients.
 
Double costs in translation

Around 700 complaints were about health insurance companies and the problems associated with changing company. Many people said they had to pay double costs, without being told who their new insurer would be, during the transition period.

Finally there were 350 complaints and questions about the health insurance companies, which included not being taken seriously, the wrong treatment covered, or about simply being impossible to reach. The most common complaint was not being able to change doctor.
 
Financially worse off

De NPCF also held a survey with members of the unions and employers federations. Of the 10,000 people surveyed, 60 to 80 percent said they were worse off financially, with the new health system.

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